Lakers legend Jerry West -- former player, coach and GM -- played for the 1971-72 Lakers team that had a 33-game winning streak. West believes Miami probably will break that record. GETTY IMAGES

Jerry West believes there aren’t any records, unbeaten marks or standards that are sacred, not even the Lakers’ 33-game winning streak. That’s why the Lakers’ legend is cheering for the Miami Heat.

The Heat is within 10 victories of matching the NBA’s longest winning streak, set by the Lakers in the 1971-72 season. West, who started at guard for that team, said if Miami broke the record, it would be “a wonderful story. I have no problem with that.”

He added, “I never thought this streak would live forever, no. … I just think it’s a streak that could very easily be broken this year," he added in a conference call Thursday.

Topping that mark should be easy for the Heat, largely because of LeBron James, the player West considers the “best in the league.”

“I think particularly in basketball you can get a unique team and Miami has a unique team,” West said. “They have great three-point shooting and they’re never out of a game because of that and then they have the best player in the game who does all the little things.”

After checking Miami’s schedule, West said the only stumbling block he sees is a March 31 contest against the Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs when Tony Parker is expected back in the lineup.

“I look at their schedule and say ‘Oh my gosh’ and think that unless they have a horrible, horrible shooting night, I don’t see any of those other teams beating them,” West said.

The Heat, which has not lost since Feb. 1, could break the Lakers’ 42-year-old mark April 9 against Milwaukee.

“I think it’s going to take a combination of a team that’s shooting the ball well that also has the capability to defend, to beat them,” West said of the possibility of the Heat losing before early April. “And obviously a poor shooting night on Miami’s part.”

Times were different when West and his teammates compiled their long-standing mark. Players traveled on commercial flights, carried their own luggage, talent pools were deeper and played back-to-back-to-back games four times during their run.

They also rarely came close to losing in that stretch, their most difficult win was by five points.

“Some of our travel was maybe more difficult than the games we played,” West said. “All you had to do was worry about trying to get some rest, which was difficult because we did not fly privately.

For us at that point in time, I don’t think any of us thought it was anything other than another day at work. But it wasn’t work, it was fun.”

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